1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector, for use in eco-friendly cars, such as hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles and the like, and in particular, for being capable of use for a portion to connect a power harness, which is used for large power transmission.
2. Description of the Related Art
In hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles and the like which have remarkably developed in recent years, a power harness, which is used for large power transmission for connection between devices, has at its one end a connector, which consists of two separate portions: a male connector portion with a male terminal and a first terminal housing accommodating that male terminal; and a female connector portion with a female terminal connected with the male terminal and a second terminal housing accommodating that female terminal (Refer to JP-A-2009-070754, for example).
In recent years, such eco-friendly cars have been designed to reduce the weights of all parts thereof, to enhance the energy saving performance of the cars. As one effective means to reduce the weights of parts of the cars, it has been proposed to reduce the sizes of the parts.
For example, a technique as described below, which has been disclosed by JP Patent No. 4037199, is known in the art.
JP Patent No. 4037199 discloses an electrical connection structure for a vehicle, which is for connecting multiphase conductive member joining terminals drawn out from a motor for driving the vehicle, and multiphase power line cable joining terminals drawn out from an inverter for driving the motor. The technique used in the electrical connection structure disclosed by JP Patent No. 4037199 is as follows. Each phase joining terminal of the conductive member and each corresponding phase joining terminal of the power line cable are overlapped, and isolating members are disposed on opposite surfaces to the overlapped surfaces of the joining terminals, respectively, and these overlapped joining terminals and isolating members are collectively fastened in an overlapping direction (also referred to as stacking direction) with a single bolt provided in a position to penetrate these overlapped joining terminals and isolating members.
That is, in the technique used in the electrical connection structure disclosed by JP Patent No. 4037199, the single bolt is tightened in the overlapping direction (stacking direction), to collectively hold the multiplicity of contacts between the joining terminals, which are the overlapped surfaces of the joining terminals, and thereby fix the joining terminals at the contacts therebetween, for electrical connections between the joining terminals, respectively. Such configuration as disclosed by JP Patent No. 4037199 is effective in easily ensuring size reduction, compared to the technique disclosed by JP-A-2009-070754.
Further, the technique disclosed by JP Patent No. 4037199 allows its structure to hold, with a holding jig separately provided therein, the isolating members between which the contacts between the joining terminals respectively are sandwiched, and thereby hold the pitch between the isolating members. Such configuration as disclosed by JP Patent No. 4037199 is effective for the insertability/removability of the joining terminals.
Refer to JP-A-2009-070754 and JP Patent No. 4037199, for example.